New gonorrhea strain could kill you in a matter of days

The scientific community has been growing concerned over a strain of gonorrhea that, in 2011, was discovered immune to antibiotic treatments. Now, doctors and scientists have come out saying that Gonorrhea H041 (previously the clap) “might be a lot worse than AIDS.”

Alan Christianson, a doctor of naturopathic medicine in Phoenix, spoke to CNBC on Thursday about this strain and how, while currently not widespread, could turn fast into a “Walking Dead” situation for penises and vaginas across the land. “The bacteria is more aggressive and will affect more people quickly,” Christianson said. “Getting gonorrhea from this strain might put someone into septic shock and death in a matter of days. This is very dangerous … We need to move now before it gets out of hand.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that, while gonorrhea has been successfully treated worldwide for some time, this particular strain was discovered in Japan two years ago in a 31-year-old female sex worker. “We don’t have anything medically to fight it right now,” says William Smith, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors.

Gonorrhea is transmitted through unprotected sexual contact. Untreated, the disease can cause a number of health complications in women, including infertility. In men, the disease can be very painful and lead to sterility. It can also trigger other life-threatening illnesses, including heart infections.

More stats on STIs in the United States (and their medical costs) can be found on this Center for Disease Control fact sheet.